Connector plug



March 11, 1941. L `T UslN l 2,234,870

v CONNECTOR PLUG Filed March 29, 1940 2 Sheets-.Sheet 1 Inventor /4` 70' v @yf/flaw?? 'A orney J. T. LUSIN v CONNECTOR PLUG Mrch l1, 1941.

Filed March 29. 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 By n A forne y Patented Mar'. 11, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONNECTOR PLUG Joseph T. Lusin, Niagara Falls, N. Y. l Application March 29, 1940, Serial No. 326,808

2 Claims.

This invention relates to connector plugs of the type employed for electrical appliances such y as electric irons and which embody a switch circuit breaker and maker; and an object of the invention is to provide in a connector of this character improved means for electrically connecting the wires of an electric cord thereto, as well as improved switch means for controlling the circuit through the plug.

The invention together with its objects and advantages will be best understood from a study of the following description taken in connec` tion with the accompanying drawings wherem- Figure l is a plan view of the plug.

Figure 2 is a side edge elevational View thereof.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the plug with the top section thereof removed and retention clips shown in section.

20. Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 1 but with the switch parts in an off position.

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of a conductor equipped at one end with means for elec- 25. trically connecting a wire thereto and at an opposite end with a contact sleeve or socket, the latter being shown in section.

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view through the plug.

30.. Figure 7 is a detail view partly in section and partly in elevation showing fragmentarily a switch strip forming part of a conductor and a spring for biasing the strip into a circuit-closing position, and

Figure 8 is a detail perspective view of the end of a conductor equipped for electrically connecting the wire of an electric cord thereto.

Referring more in detail to the drawings it will be seen that in accordance with the present invention the switch-equipped plug embodies, as

is usual in plugs of this type, a body 5 of relatively flat form and divided longitudinally into a pair of complemental sections, namely the main body section 6 and a cover section l.

The sections Ii and 'I are complementarily grooved at one end thereof, and as indicated at 8, to accommodate contact sleeves or sockets 9 that have shank portions I0 anchored to the body section 6 by screws I I as best shown in Figures 3 and 4.

Also the body sections 6 and 'I are complementarily grooved as at I2 to accommodate conductor strips I3 and I4, respectively.

The strip I4 is, of course, metallic and has a terminal I5 overlying and secured to the shank I0 of one-of the contact sleeves or sockets 9 by an anchoring screw II.

The strip I3 has an angular end I6 forming a switch contact complementing a switch contact I'I provided integrally with and at the free end `5 of the shank I0 of the other of the contact sleeves or sockets 9 as shown in. Figure 4.

Each of the conductor strips I3 and I4 has a terminal portion I8 that is anchored in the groove provided therefor in the body section 8 0 through the medium of a screw I9.

Complemental to the terminal I8 of each of the strips I3 and I4 is a. jaw 20 that at one end is anchored in place through the medium oi?y an aforementioned screw I9 and the opposite end of which is apertured in alignment with an aperture in the conductor strip terminal I8 to accommodatea clamping screw 2|.

Thus it will be seenrthat through the medip um of its terminal I8 and complementa] jaw 2l), 20

each strip I3, I4, has the terminal of the wire of an electric-cord secured thereto by placing such terminal of the wire between the terminal I8 and jaw 20, andclamping the end of the wire between said terminal and jaw by threading home 25 the clamping screw 2l.`

To detract from the likelihood of the clamped end of the wire working from between the terminal I8 and its complementa] jaw 20, said terminal I8 at its i'ree end has an upturned flange.. or 30 lip 22 as also shown in Figure 5.

From the above it will also be apparent that contacts -II and I6 coact to constitute terminals for a switch, contact Il serving as the stationary contact and contact Ilias the movable v35 contact, movable into and out of engagement with contact I'I for completing .the electrical circuit. Y i

The other parts ofthe switch just mentioned include an operating wheel or disk 22, a shaft 40 v23 on which the disk is mounted to rotate therewith and a cam lug-24 on the shaft 23 to vrotate therewith into and out of engagement with the conductor strip I3 for controlling the engagement and disengagement of contacts I 6 and I1; 45 together with a spring 25 that is seated within a suitable recess provided therefor in the cover section l of the plug and has an end impinging against the conductor strip I3 for normally urging the strip downwardly into engagement with 50 the cam lug 24 on shaft 23 and for causing engagement of the contact I8 with the contact I1 for completing the electrical circuit when the switch is in the on position.

As clearly shown the sections B and 1 of the 5,5

plug body are complementarily recessed as at 26 and 21 to accommodate the switch actuating wheel 22, and the cover section 1 of the plug is also, in the region of the recess 21 provided with an opening or slot 28 through which the periphery of the wheel 22, and which periphery is roughened, as shown, projects to be easily engaged by the thumb to facilitate rotating the wheel to turn the switch to either on or off positions, these positions being indicated on the periphery of the wheel 22 by the legend off and on as shown.

The ends of the shaft 23 are journaled in suitable bearings 29 provided therefor in the body section 6 of the plug, and of course the cover section 1 of the plug is complementarily formed to accommodate the bearings 29.

At the end of the plug accommodating the oontact sleeves or sockets 9 the sections 6 and 1 of the plug are held together by clips 30 disposed at opposite sides of the plug and having end portions engaging in grooves 3I provided therefor in the exterior surfaces of the sections 6 and 1 of the plug .5.

At the opposite end thereof the sections 6 and 1 of the plug are complementarily formed to provide a substantially circular extension 32 formed with a channel or groove 32 that accommodates a split ring 33. Ring 33 cooperates with the clips 30 for securing the plug sections 6 andrl in assembled relation.

At the end 3l thereof the sections 6 and 1 of the plug body are complementarily formed to provide an opening 34 that accommodates the usual flexible element 35 through which the wires of a conductor cord are lead and which serves to prevent twisting or kinking of such cord. In this connection it will also be noted that the sections 6 and 1 of the body are complementarily formed to provide at the inner en d of the opening 34 a groove 36 to accommodate the annular enlargement 31 provided at said terminal or end of the flexible element 35.

In actual practice the conductor wires are eX- tended through the protector 35 and then laterally to be clamped between the terminals I8 of the conductor strips I3 and I4, and the jaw members 20 associated with the terminals of the respective strips, and as hereinbefore described in detail.

From the above it will be obvious that to operate the switch to close the circuit the wheel 22 is rotated to move the cam 24 to a position as will permit the conductor I3, in response to the action of spring 25, to ilex downwardly so that the contact end IE thereof will engage the contact end yI1 of the shank I0 of one of the contact sleeves or sockets 9, thus completing the circuit through the plug to the iron or other electrical device.

When the circuit is thus closed the circuitclosing position of the parts will be apparent to the operator due to the fact that the legend on as provided on the periphery of the wheel 22 will then be in view at the opening or slot 28.

Obviously to break the circuit the wheel 22 is' rotated in the same direction until the cam block 24 engages the conductor strip I3 flexing the same upwardly against the action of spring 25 to move the contact I6 of the strip out of engagement with the contact I1. When this is accomplished the legend off" on the periphery of the wheel 22 will be visible at the slot or sight opening 23 .in the cover section 1 of the plug,

It is thought that a clear understanding of the construction, manner of assembling, operation, utility and advantages of a switch-equipped connector plug embodying the features of the present invention will be had without a more detailed description.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is:

l. In a connector plug, a body, contact sleeves mounted in the body at one end thereof, conductor strips mounted longitudinally in the body, one of said conductor strips being directly and electrically connected with one of said contact sleeves, the other of said conductor strips terminating at one end thereof in spaced relation to the other of said contact sleeves, said last-named contact sleeve and the last-named conductor strip being complementarily formed to provide coacting switch contacts, means in the plug and impinging the second-named contact strip for normally urging the latter in a direction for engagement of said switch contacts, and cam mechanism rotatably mounted in said body and enl gageable with the second-named conductor strip for separating said switch contacts and retaining said contacts normally separated, and each of said conductor strips at the end thereof remote from the associated contact sleevel presenting an integral clamping jaw, a complemental clamping vUl therebetween, and a clamping screw engaging said jaws for securing said jaws in clamping relation to one another.

2. In a connector plug, a body, a pair of spaced 'longitudinally extending conductor strips in the body, means at one end of the strips for clamping conductor wires to said conductor strips, sleeves in the other end of the body and to one of which the other end of one conductor strip is connected,

a switch terminal carried by the inner end of the ,i

other sleeve and the other end of the other conductor strip being formed with a switch terminal, spring means for normally holding the two switch -terminals together, a transverse shaft journaled in the body, a cam on theshaft for engaging said other conductor strip for normally holding said JOSEPH T. LUSN. 

